“Have you ever thought what it’s like to be wanderers in the fourth dimension?”
The 1st Doctor – ‘An Unearthly Child’ (1963)
I’m very pleased and proud to announce that my gaming project for 2026 is going to be a return to my favourite game with Doctor Who Solitaire Story Game: Third Edition (Revised) (DWSSG3e+).
What is DWSSG?
DWSSG is a free print and play solitaire paragraph-booklet adventure game where the player assumes the role of the intrepid Time Lord himself - the Doctor! Like Doctor Who on television over the last 60+ years, DWSSG, which was first released on BoardGameGeek in 2009, has seen many incarnations and expansions over the years. A player can travel in the TARDIS through time and space, meeting companions old and new, and fighting deadly enemies such as the Daleks or Cybermen. DWSSG also had a Second edition (DWSSG2e) that was released in 2018-2019.
What is DWSSG3e?
This is the Third Edition of DWSSG, which I designed and released three years ago in November 2022. It was a MAJOR overhaul of the DWSSG system, changed the way the game played and introduced more visual elements with cards for Doctors, Companions, Gadgets and Ideas, plus a way to track an Adventure on a player’s TARDIS Mat. When I created DWSSG3e, I really felt that I had found the best version of the game.
What is DWSSG3e+?
This will be a revisit to the DWSSG3e system. It’s NOT a total rewrite (otherwise I would call it 4e), and players of DWSSG3e will see many, many similarities. BUT, it is a pretty major revamp and a lot of hard work has, and will have, gone into it. Since 2022, I feel my gaming projects, in terms of clarity, presentation and ideas, have greatly improved. I have learnt so much from work on ‘Barbarian Prince: Ultimate Edition’ (2024) and particularly Star Trek: Adventures in the Final Frontier (STAFF) (2025), that I wanted to bring that to DWSSG.
What’s included in DWSSG3e+?
The game reverts back to 3 Booklets – Rules, Adventures and Enemies. The Booklets are supported by a set of 96 cards, some Reference Sheets, TARDIS Mats and a new ‘TARDIS Console’ sheet. Each Booklet has a major facelift in terms of presentation. Fans of the Classic Series of Doctor Who (1963-1989) will also see more love and familiar elements included.
Will DWSSG3e+ offer anything new for old DWSSG3e players?
Absolutely! Along with Adventures and Enemies featured in 3e, there are brand new entries for both. There are also new cards for TARDIS Characters, ideas and gadgets too.
When and where will DWSSG3e+ be released?
I’m hoping for a late Q1 (March) 2026 release for the Core Set and then the first expansion for the game will be Nov 2026. It will be only available here at my coffee website
And the good news is that an 8 page sample Rules Booklet will be here TOMORROW (23rd Nov)!
It will still be a FREE set of PDF files to download and PNP, although ‘coffee’ donations, subscribers and feedback are very welcome! I also have plans to create a community of support for the game going forward.
“Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, and somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on, Ace, we've got work to do!“ The 7th Doctor ‘Survival’ (1989)